BOSTON — Mayor Marty Walsh says threats by the federal government to cut funding to cities who refuse to comply with immigration officials is "irresponsible and destructive."
The mayor responded Monday to a new pledge by Attorney General Jeff Sessions to keep federal grants from going to so-called "sanctuary cities."
"The fear that Washington is trying to portray with immigrants, saying they're all criminals, is wrong,” Walsh said.
"Such policies cannot continue, they make our nation less safe by putting dangerous criminals back on the streets,” Sessions said.
Sessions says the move applies to grants from the department of justice and is similar to a policy in place under the Obama administration.
Mayor Walsh said Boston will remain a safe haven for immigrants and city police will not do the work of federal officials.
Somerville Mayor Joseph Curtatone told FOX25 protecting undocumented has been a police in the city for 30 years.
“Since 1987 that we’ve been a sanctuary city, we’ve seen crime reduced, down more than 50 percent, 52.9 percent to be exact,” he said.
But that could change, because the loss of funding would impact the town's bottom line and could mean cuts to the police department and other departments.
“They were targeting funds that help the poor, the hungry, the veterans and the seniors - the very vulnerable populations that candidate trump said he would do a better job serving than candidate Clinton," he said.
Cambridge Mayor Denise Simmons echoed those concerns.
“Why the federal government wants to be punitive for or against the people that are the weakest in our society; that’s really irresponsible,” she said.
PREVIOUS:
[ Proposed bill would make Massachusetts a sanctuary state ]